


A Normal Question

by rtverse



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, iwaoi is the focus, not sure what to tag yet tbh, tags will be updated as things happen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-08-26 23:27:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16690957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rtverse/pseuds/rtverse
Summary: Are you two dating?That question had been part of their lives for so long that Oikawa had never thought twice about it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!! I'm writing fic for the first time in almost 3 years, and for a new fandom no less!
> 
> I finally got over—or chose to ignore—my fear of writing anime fic, so sorry in advance if I do anything dumb with characterization or school logistics or anything!
> 
> Iwaoi basically owns my soul at this point, so I really needed to contribute. I hope you like it!

"Are you two dating?"

That question had been part of their lives for so long that Oikawa had never thought twice about it.

"Nope, I'm not dating anyone at the moment," Oikawa replies with the plastered smile he uses around his fans. "Iwa-chan is far too mean for me to date, anyway."

As expected, that statement results in an attack from the aforementioned Iwa-chan that doesn't really disprove his point. "C'mon, Shittykawa, we'll be late for class," Iwaizumi growls, dragging Oikawa away as he waves to the slightly confused girl.

"Mean, Iwa-chan, I was having a conversation," Oikawa pouts, escaping from Iwaizumi's death grip to walk beside him. Iwaizumi just rolls his eyes, not dignifying him with a response.

They barely make it to class on time—not that Oikawa would give Iwaizumi the satisfaction of being right—and Oikawa settles in, already anticipating the lunch bell.

 

—

 

"You guys dating yet?"

The question comes as soon as Iwaizumi leaves the room, tasked with some responsibility or other—Oikawa can never keep track. It's asked by Hanamaki this time, sitting across from him at their typical lunchtime clump of desks. The disinterested look on his face doesn't seem to match the impact of the question, though it's soon tainted by amusement at Oikawa's expense.

Perhaps his reaction is more extreme than it would normally be, fueled by the fact that it's the second time he's been asked in two hours. "No, of course not! Why does everyone always ask that?" His confusion is plain from his tone, presenting his emotions way more clearly than he would usually allow.

Matsukawa, who had been simply enjoying the spectacle, raises an eyebrow at him. "Touchy subject?"

Hanamaki nods in agreement, face contorted into faux concern for his friend. "Sounds like trouble in paradise." He turns to Matsukawa with an exaggerated gasp. "Maybe Iwaizumi has finally realized that he's too good for our dear Oikawa-san and is filing for divorce!"

Matsukawa places a hand on his heart and shakes his head morosely. "What a shame. We knew this day would come eventually. So sorry, Oikawa," he says, patting Oikawa sympathetically on the shoulder and attempting the incredible feat of not laughing in his face.

Oikawa, confused and frustrated yet all too familiar with the endless taunts of his teammates, lays his head on his desk in resignation. "You two are the worst," he complains, voice muffled from his face being smushed against the tabletop.

That proves to be too much for the two boys across from him. He hears them explode into laughter, loud and obnoxious, which he'd say is pretty on-brand.

Hanamaki and Matsukawa settle after a moment, gasping for breath as they recover. Oikawa, motivated by his genuine confusion, raises his head. "Seriously, though, why do you always ask that?" The other two stare blankly, as if the answer to his admittedly calmer question is obvious. And, on second thought, maybe their reasoning is. "Maybe not you, because you definitely just do it to tease me, but... It's not just you." He pauses. "People have always asked that, and I never really thought about it. I guess I just got too used to it, but... That's not really a normal question, is it?"

Hanamaki stares again, this time disbelieving and yet unsurprised. "You're asking me why people think you're dating?" Oikawa nods, made more uncertain by the edge in his voice that he can't quite place. Hanamaki sighs, placing his chin on his hand. "Gee, Oikawa, I don't know—maybe it has something to do with the affectionate nicknames, or the constant smiles and looks, the complete disregard of personal space. Oh! Maybe it's because you're so inseperable that it took the first-years almost a month to realize that you're two different people!" Oikawa can almost see the sarcasm dripping from his words, forming a puddle on the desk that threatens to reveal far too much if Oikawa doesn't deflect.

"Please, like you two aren't just as bad as us! When's the last time you went more than an hour without talking to each other?" The challenge is clear in Oikawa's voice. He grins, convinced that he's won this round.

And yet, the faces he sees are not filled with defeat. They're more... stunned.

"Wow." Matsukawa stares, amazed for some reason that Oikawa can't figure out.

"What?" Oikawa crosses his arms, feeling suddenly defensive and uncomfortable with the way they're looking at him.

"Oikawa..." Hanamaki begins, blinking slowly, "I know I ask this a lot, but... Are you an idiot?"

Whatever Oikawa expected, it definitely wasn't that. He squawks indignantly, sitting up straighter and ready to defend his honor. "Rude! I'll have you know that I could easily be a model student; I've simply decided to grace our volleyball team with my gifts instead!" If Oikawa's chin were raised any higher, he'd see the confused students behind him.

"Wow," Hanamaki lets out a long breath, "that was not exactly what I meant, but okay." Taking a moment to collect himself after Oikawa's dramatics, Hanamaki places his hands together and looks him in the eye. "Mattsun and I have been dating for almost 6 months now."

Oikawa blinks, unable to immediately process what he's just heard. Hanamaki... and Matsukawa? He stares, searching Hanamaki's face for any signs of a lie. Not finding any, he looks to Matsukawa who just nods.

At this point, Oikawa is completely floored. "You're together?" They nod. "And you didn't tell me?" The affronted squeal that leaves his mouth is definitely embarrassing, but he has much more pressing issues to deal with.

"It was obvious," Matsukawa defends. Oikawa turns his glare on him. "To everyone but you, apparently."

"But—" As much as he wants to protest, Oikawa really has nothing to say to that.

"So, basically," Hanamaki begins, a less than kind expression on his face, "that means you defended the heterosexuality of your relationship with Iwaizumi by comparing it to a decidedly not heterosexual couple." Oikawa freezes, just as the door to the classroom opens. "Think about it," Hanamaki says, tapping a finger to his temple with a mocking grin on his face. His expression shifts to one akin to the picture of innocence as Iwaizumi returns, sliding into his seat none the wiser of Oikawa's turmoil.

 

—

 

There's no way Oikawa can handle this on his own.

If Hanamaki and Matsukawa won't give him a straight—ahem, pun not intended—answer, then he'll have to go elsewhere.

The minute Oikawa is alone in his room, he sends a desperate text.

 

**To: Sugawara Koushi**

_SUGA-SAN I NEED HELP_

_IT'S AN EMERGENCY_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Overdramatic Oikawa is overdramatic.
> 
> Honestly I just really wanted to post something and I can already feel that this is going to be the longest fic I've ever written (not that that's saying much), so chapter fic it is! I'm on thanksgiving break though so updates should be real soon. Thanks for reading; I'd love to hear what you think so far!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Chapter 2!
> 
> This took a little longer to happen than I intended (what's productivity), but I hope you guys like it!

"So, what's the problem?"  
  
Once Suga had determined that Oikawa wasn't actually in any imminent danger, he agreed to meet up at some cafe that Oikawa insists boasts the best coffee in all of Japan—not that that's really relevant, but Suga chose not to comment.  
  
Oikawa launches into a rather melodramatic account of the day's events. He mentions the girl who approached him that morning, the usual taunts from Hanamaki and Matsukawa, and eventually gets to the part that he's definitely less thrilled to share.  
  
"Then... Makki was being really sarcastic and I didn't appreciate it, so I tried to get back at him by pointing out how close he and Mattsun are, but... That didn't quite work out the way I wanted."  
  
Suga raises an eyebrow at this, picking up on Oikawa's sudden discomfort. "How so?" he questions, moving to take a sip of his coffee—it really is quite good; he'll have to keep this place in mind.  
  
"Well..." Oikawa shifts in his seat, not making eye contact. "It turns out that they're dating."  
  
What follows is a calamity.  
  
Suga's eyes widen and his hand flies to his mouth as he tries to swallow the sip he'd just taken. The sheer hilarity of Oikawa's situation wins, however, and coffee soon coats the palm of his hand and drips onto the table. Oikawa watches, a little stunned, as Suga laughs uncontrollably, doing his best to clean up the small mess he's made using the cheap napkins from the dispenser. "Oh my god," he manages, breathless, placing the dirtied napkins to the side. "That's incredible."  
  
Now feeling embarrassed despite Suga's scene, Oikawa crosses his arms defensively. "It's not _that_ funny."  
  
"Are you kidding?" Suga asks, amusement still evident from his huge grin. "You tried to prove that there's nothing between you and Iwaizumi by comparing your relationship to an actual couple. That's _hilarious_. It couldn't have backfired harder!"  
  
Oikawa sinks further into his chair, trying his best to ignore the continued chuckles from across the table. "So mean."  
  
"Aw, come on, Oikawa." Suga leans forward, only slightly teasing. "I am here to help you, you know." Oikawa pouts a bit, but relents, sitting in his chair like less of a toddler than before. "Okay, so I know what happened now, but... What exactly do you want from me?"  
  
Oikawa hums, considering. "I wanted to ask you why people always think I'm dating Iwa-chan, since all my supposed friends wanted to do was make fun of me."  
  
It's difficult, but Suga manages to restrain himself from saying that his "supposed friends" were right. "Why do you think they ask?"  
  
"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you!" Oikawa whines, dangerously close to toddler territory again. "Can't you just give me a straight-forward answer?" Suga shakes his head, earning a defeated sigh. "Fine. I don't know, Makki was probably right when he was talking about how close we are, but it's not like that. I've known Iwa-chan forever, and he's my best friend and ace; of course we're together all the time!" He stares into his coffee, thinking. "I guess I can see how someone would think that, but it just comes up so much. Even from people we know!" Oikawa sits up properly now. "Did you know that every single member of our team has asked at least once?" He almost yells this fact in an attempt to drive home how absurd he thinks it is.  
  
Suga is probably not as shocked as Oikawa would like. "If I'm being honest, most of Karasuno probably thinks you're together—or, at least, that you should be," he adds when he sees Oikawa's incredulous look.  
  
Resigned, Oikawa puts his head down on the table, narrowly avoiding his coffee. "I don't get it," he complains. "Maybe a few fans shipping us I could understand, but I'm not being that dramatic when I say it's literally everyone!"  
  
Suga can't help but laugh a little at Oikawa calling himself not dramatic, but he calms quickly. "There must be something else to it, then." When he doesn't get a response from the distressed puff of hair that is currently Oikawa, he continues. "You talk to a lot of girls, right?"  
  
The question is mostly rhetorical, but Oikawa still looks up as if Suga just asked him if he played volleyball. Suga isn't deterred, however—he has a point.  
  
"Have you ever had a girlfriend?"  
  
That makes Oikawa pause. Whatever he expected Suga to ask, that wasn't it. "No," he admits.  
  
"Why?"  
  
And that? That's a good question. _Why?_ Why hasn't he had a girlfriend? It's definitely not for lack of confessions. He's had every opportunity, so what's stopping him?  
  
And then it hits him.  
  
Oikawa stands suddenly, grinning like everything suddenly makes sense. "You're right!"  
  
Suga stays seated. "I am?" he replies, a bit disbelieving.  
  
Oikawa nods enthusiastically. "Yeah! Why don't I have a girlfriend? What's stopping me?" He grins wider. "Nothing!"  
  
Suga realizes a second too late. "Wait, that's not—"  
  
Oikawa's already out the door.  
  
"—what I meant." He plops back in his seat from his failed attempt to stop Oikawa. He takes another sip of his coffee, unable to comprehend just how things went so wrong so quickly.  
  
All he knows is that Oikawa is unbelievably dense.

  
  
—

  
  
"I think I made things worse."  
  
Daichi looks up from the math problem he was working on. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Suga sighs, briefly giving up on his homework in favor of sharing. "Oikawa asked me why people always think he and Iwaizumi are dating, and I really tried to get him to realize how painfully obvious they are, but I think he misinterpreted some of my advice."  
  
Daichi huffs a laugh at that. "That sounds promising. What did you say?"  
  
"Well... I asked him why he didn't have a girlfriend, and he seemed to take that as me saying, 'Go get a girlfriend!' and sprinted out of the cafe." Suga winces a bit remembering it, but Daichi is mostly just amused.  
  
"That'll go well."  
  
Suga shoots him a look at the obvious sarcasm, but he can't help but smile a bit—it really is ridiculous. "I can't imagine it will." He picks up his phone, considering. "Maybe I should warn his team. Let them prepare for the storm that's about to hit."  
  
Daichi laughs, walking over to press a kiss to the top of his overly-concerned boyfriend's head. "Nah, they'll be fine. They're used to Oikawa by now."  
  
Suga shudders. "Terrifying."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mind me shoving in side ships wherever I can lmao, the tags are steadily growing. I do have actual plans for the plot here, it's just a matter of when I actually dedicate myself to writing it. Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter, and like always I would love nothing more than to hear from you!
> 
> (Soft promo for my tumblr kashimasyuu, there's not really anything about this fic there but I do post too much haikyuu if you're into that)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! This chapter took way too long and I am so sorry, but it's finally here! I hope it's at least somewhat worth the wait but things should better once finals are over. I hope you like it!

Yuzuki.  
  
There's something about her that Oikawa can't quite place. Somehow, she stands out from most of the girls that confess to him. Maybe it's the fact that she's almost as tall as he is, or that she's the captain of the softball team, or the sheer self-assurance that was present in her confession.  
  
Sure, Oikawa was setting out to get a girlfriend for the first time, but that didn't stop him from having standards. Nothing specific or predetermined—he just refused to date anyone who didn't genuinely interest him in some capacity.  
  
And Yuzuki? Yuzuki definitely interests him.  
  
Oikawa accepts her confession with a smile, an outcome that evidently surprises even the ever-confident Yuzuki. They exchange numbers and Oikawa sends her off with a promise to meet up later, complete with a flirtatious wink that's perhaps a bit too fabricated to be directed at his girlfriend.  
  
_Girlfriend_. He has a girlfriend. Something inside of him reacts to that thought, twisting in what must be excitement, and maybe a bit of nerves. As much of a flirt as Oikawa may be, dating is new territory. He really doesn't know what to expect beyond this point, and that is both thrilling and terrifying.  
  
"What's up with you?"  
  
Oikawa startles, suddenly realizing that he'd wandered all the way back to the classroom while lost in thought, and is now facing a mildly annoyed Iwaizumi. "Hm? Nothing, just thinking! Not that I would expect you to know anything about that," he teases with a shit-eating grin, yelping when Iwaizumi flicks him in the forehead. He settles into his seat mumbling half-hearted complaints as he rubs the now-tender spot. At the front of the room, their teacher calls for everyone's attention, and Oikawa's mind drifts to the possibilities of where he'll take Yuzuki— _his girlfriend_ —on their first date.  
  
  


—

   
  
"Yuzuki-chan!"  
  
She turns when she hears Oikawa's voice, responding with a grin. Not a soft, shy smile like most girls he's spoken to, but a grin. Somehow, it seems to capture her very spirit in a single action. "Hey, Tooru."  
  
Oikawa smiles at being referred to by his first name—it's not something that happens often, after all. "Are you ready to go? There's a great cafe near here."  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
The walk over is pretty quiet, but it's oddly comfortable, like they hadn't just started talking that morning. By the time they reach the cafe, it feels... normal.  
  
After Oikawa pays for their drinks, they wait at the counter. "Your drink is so sugary and over the top; it suits you," Yuzuki teases, referring to Oikawa's grande caramel frap with four extra pumps of caramel, two pumps of chocolate, cream-based with extra whipped cream, please.  
  
Oikawa huffs, offended. "At least I have taste buds! I don't know how you can stand straight coffee; you must not have a soul." He shakes his head in faux mourning of Yuzuki's lost humanity. "This place has the best coffee, too, and you're ruining it."  
  
Yuzuki laughs. "You don't get to talk about how good their coffee is when you ordered a milkshake."  
  
Their good-natured bickering continues for the rest of their date. It's familiar, somehow, though that should be impossible—they haven't even been dating for a day yet. They stay at the cafe for a couple hours, laughing, joking, talking about their lives, their teams, and it's wonderful. _Is this what having a girlfriend is like?_  
  
Oikawa walks Yuzuki back to her house like he knows a good boyfriend should. The smile on his face when he makes plans to meet with her again is genuine—Iwaizumi would be impressed. They part with typical goodnight wishes and Oikawa heads home, pleasantly remembering the events of the day. Just that morning, he had been Seijou's most eligible bachelor, and now?  
  
Now he's walking down the street with a smile, wondering why he hadn't tried this whole dating thing sooner.  
  
  


—

  
  
"Is something up with Oikawa?"  
  
Hanamaki hums in agreement with Matsukawa's comment. "Yeah, he seems extra bubbly lately, which is honestly impressive. I didn't think he could get any more obnoxious, but I'm proven wrong every day."  
  
Matsukawa snorts a laugh, turning to Iwaizumi. "You know anything about it?"  
  
The three are sitting off to the side, resting during their brief break at practice. Oikawa is talking to some of the underclassmen on the team, probably trying to say something captain-like and being met with torment. He really makes it too easy.  
  
"He hasn't said anything to me. He's probably excited about some shitty alien movie or something," Iwaizumi deadpans, refusing to put much effort into deciphering Oikawa's likely nonsensical enthusiasm.  
  
"That seems like something he wouldn't shut up about," Matsukawa points out, but Iwaizumi just shrugs.  
  
"If it matters, we'll probably find out soon enough."  
  
As if right on cue, there's a knock on the gym door. Everyone in the gym looks confused except for Oikawa, who lights up even more than before.  
  
Hanamaki leans forward, intrigued. "Looks like soon is right now."  
  
Oikawa opens the door to reveal a tall, athletic-looking girl. She's pretty in a strong sort of way, but most notable is the aura she emits, like she could best anyone in the room if she felt the need.  
  
Matsukawa's eyebrows raise in a mixture of surprise and curiosity. "Who's _that_?"  
  
"I have no idea. I've never seen her before," Hanamaki replies, shaking his head. "Iwaizumi?"  
  
Iwaizumi squints, considering. "I think... She might be the captain of the softball team." He leans back, placing his hands on his knees. "I don't know how Oikawa knows her, though."  
  
"If she's a captain, then maybe they met at some captain meeting or something," Matsukawa offers.  
  
Iwaizumi shakes his head. "No, I've never heard of anything like that. If those meetings existed, I would definitely be the one in charge of getting his ass there."  
  
Hanamaki and Matsukawa have no way of arguing that, but they don't have to as Oikawa chooses that moment to call everyone to the center of the gym.  
  
Once everyone's gathered, Oikawa faces them with a smile, standing beside the mystery girl. "Sorry to interrupt your breaks, but I wanted to introduce you all to someone." Gesturing to the girl, he continues. "Everyone, this is Yuzuki-chan, my girlfriend."  
  
The silence that falls over the group is almost tangible. They boys can't find it in themselves to do anything but look between Oikawa and Yuzuki in shock.  
  
A bit put off by this, Yuzuki waves slightly. "Hey, nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about all of you." A mischievous grin appears on her face. "Mostly about how unappreciative you are of your poor, innocent captain."  
  
Oikawa's mouth drops open, scandalized. "Yuzuki-chan!" She winks at the rest of the team before turning to Oikawa, the picture of innocence.  
  
This dissolves the tension that had settled in the room, much to everyone's relief.  
  
Hanamaki steps forward first with an outstretched hand. "Hey, I'm Hanamaki. Sorry about that; I think we're all just amazed that idiot finally managed to get a girlfriend."  
  
Yuzuki laughs, Oikawa squawks some protest or other, and the rest of the team introduces themselves.  
  
"And you must be the famous Iwa-chan," Yuzuki says, reaching the end of the line.  
  
Iwaizumi huffs in amusement. "Famous, huh?" He watches the rest of the team pester Oikawa, probably interrogating him about the new development.  
  
Yuzuki grins. "Yeah, I've heard plenty. I have no idea how you put up with him."  
  
That earns a real laugh from Iwaizumi. "Years of practice."  
  
They stand in silence, watching the chaos across the room. After a moment, Yuzuki speaks up again. "He really is a good guy, you know."  
  
Iwaizumi smiles as Oikawa shouts something unintelligible at Hanamaki and Matsukawa. "Yeah, I know."  
  
  


—

  
  
"Hey, does Yuzuki-san remind you of anyone?"  
  
Matsukawa glances over at Hanamaki before turning to the girl in question. She's currently doubled over laughing across the gym, a clear result of the direct hit the volleyball she'd thrown had made, nailing Oikawa in the back of the head.  
  
"Yeah. Yeah, she does."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's chapter 3 and Iwaizumi finally says more than one sentence! This is an iwaoi fic, I promise.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I'd love to know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is about three weeks late and I have no excuse. It's the longest chapter so far so... maybe that makes up for it? Anyway I'm very sorry and hope you guys like this chapter <3

"So, what's the weirdest confession you've gotten?"  
  
Yuzuki's chin rests in her hand as she looks up from lazily stirring her coffee. They're at the same cafe again ("Honestly, Tooru, don't you go anywhere else?"), getting to know each other. It's still only been about a week since Yuzuki confessed and they've gone out nearly every day. Oikawa's a bit proud of himself, if he's honest—his friends had always teased him about not having enough time for a girlfriend, so it feels nice to prove them wrong.  
  
Oikawa makes an offended noise at her question. "I respect and appreciate every girl who confesses to me, no matter the method," he protests, lifting his chin and placing a hand to his heart. Yuzuki raises her eyebrows, and Oikawa's resolve cracks. "Well, okay, maybe there have been a few strange ones."  
  
Yuzuki leans forward, grinning. "Duh, you have a fan club. No way that someone hasn't pulled some creepy shit. Come on, spill!" She smacks the table, enthusiasm contagious.  
  
"Hmm..." Oikawa chews his lip, considering. "There was one girl who gave me chocolates for Valentine's day that were 'infused with her DNA'... I'm still not sure what that means and I don't think I want to know." He grimaces at the thought, laughing slightly.  
  
Yuzuki makes a noise that's between a laugh and a gag, clearly caught between being amused and disgusted. "Oh my god, I don't know what I expected." She leans back in her chair. "And you didn't marry her on the spot?"  
  
Oikawa snorts, shaking his head. "No, actually. Shocking, I know." He pauses, thinking back to the confession. "She said the chocolate would 'fuse our souls' or something, I don't know. It was... unique."  
  
"That's one word for it," Yuzuki replies, huffing a laugh. "Fangirls are wild." Oikawa smirks in a _you're telling me_ sort of way, earning another grin. "Tell you what—next girl that tries something like that, you let me know." She cracks her knuckles with a faux glare, and Oikawa's pretty sure she's at least mostly kidding.  
  
Just in case, he puts out his hands in a calming motion. "Please don't threaten my fans, they don't mean any harm. Probably." Yuzuki starts rolling up her sleeves in response to his unconvincing protest, and Oikawa laughs. "No, seriously, that was ages ago. I don't think she even goes to Seijou anymore."  
  
Faking reluctance, Yuzuki pulls down her sleeves with a sigh. "Fine, fine, I won't threaten them." Her eyes dart up to meet his, grin spreading across her face. "Probably."  
  
With that, the subject is all but forgotten, moving onto stories about some stupid thing Yuzuki's teacher said. Oikawa can't help but be a little touched, though. Sure, she was joking around, but it was clear that Yuzuki was somewhat concerned, and he would be lying if he claimed it didn't feel nice. Maybe he isn't paying as much attention as he should be, because Yuzuki confronts him as they leave the cafe. "Hey, you good?"  
  
Oikawa shakes himself out of it, plastering on a smile that's more fake than it should be. "Yeah, just thinking about our conversation!"  
  
Yuzuki gives him a look. "We're still having it." There's nothing vicious in her words; if anything, she seems concerned again.  
  
Oikawa's smile shifts into a more genuine one. "Really, I'm fine. It's nothing bad. It's just... nice to have someone worry about me."  
  
Yuzuki's face softens. "Oh." She nudges his shoulder with hers. "People care about you, idiot. Probably more than you realize." She shakes her head, walking ahead. "Anyway, enough with the sappy shit. Come over so I can kick your ass in Mario Kart."  
  
After a moment Oikawa grins, following her. "Oh, it's _on_."

 

—

  
  
Oikawa really should have expected this.  
  
As soon as he sits down, hoping for a peaceful lunch, the two physical manifestions of chaos he for some reason calls friends barge in, demanding answers.  
  
"What the hell did you do to get Honda-san to agree to this?" Matsukawa begins the interrogation.  
  
Hanamaki nods enthusiastically in agreement. "Yeah, she seems like a rational person, so clearly you're up to something."  
  
It takes Oikawa a second to realize they're talking about Yuzuki—clearly they weren't satisfied by the minimal responses he gave in the gym. Once he does, he has the presence of mind to be offended. "I don't know what you're insinuating, but I'll have you know that Yuzuki-chan confessed to me and I accepted. Nothing questionable about it. Honestly, I don't know why you think so poorly of me," he complains, crossing his arms with a pout.  
  
Hanamaki rolls his eyes. "Because you're _you_ , but that's beside the point. Why now?"  
  
This time Matsukawa nods. "Yeah, you've never dated anyone before, so why now? Why her?"  
  
Reluctantly, Oikawa sighs, knowing that he's not going to get out of this conversation. "That's why. I've never dated anyone before, so why not give it a go? And as far as Yuzuki, I thought that she was interesting." He shrugs. "We get along well, so what's the problem?"  
  
Hanamaki and Matsukawa share a look that Oikawa feels like he's seen before. He also thinks he should probably feel insulted.  
  
He's spared whatever response awaited him as Iwaizumi enters, barely raising an eyebrow at the current conversation. Instead, he settles in next to Oikawa, pulling out his own lunch without a word.  
  
Unfortunately, the quiet doesn't last.  
  
"Yo, Iwaizumi, what do you think of Honda-san?" Matsukawa questions, refusing to move on from the subject.  
  
"She's fine, I guess," he replies, not looking up from his meal.  
  
"'I guess'? What's that supposed to mean?" Oikawa asks, forgetting that he doesn't really want to continue this conversation.  
  
Iwaizumi shrugs. "I haven't really talked to her."  
  
"Okay, but what about the fact that she's dating Oikawa? Like, _Oikawa Tooru_. This asshole," Hanamaki elaborates, gesturing to the guy in question more dramatically than is entirely necessary.  
  
"And?" Iwaizumi isn't biting. "She's allowed to do what she wants. If she's able to put up with him, then she must be pretty impressive. I don't really see why I should care."  
  
For some reason, Oikawa feels almost... annoyed at his indifference. Sure, he doesn't want to encourage the other two, but shouldn't Iwaizumi care at least a little? Maybe he's overreacting. After all, it's not like Iwaizumi has expressed a particular interest in romance. Still, he can't quite get rid of the weird twinge in his chest.  
  
"Enough talking about my relationship like I'm not right here," he cuts in. "Honestly, maybe you'd be more popular if you focused on your own social lives as much as you do on mine."  
  
That's met with twin glares. "You're just mad 'cause you want what we have," Hanamaki returns, sticking his tongue out at him. Oikawa chooses not to think about what he means by that. Thankfully, they seem to give up on antagonizing Oikawa for the moment—at least about Yuzuki.  
  
The rest of their lunch break is standard, but the odd feeling sticks around. Maybe he swallowed something wrong.  
  
Or... no. It's really not a big deal. He's happy with Yuzuki and that's what matters, no matter what anyone else does or doesn't think.  
  
Right?

 

—

  
  
"Oikawa-san?"  
  
A voice stops him in his tracks as he heads to afternoon practice. He turns to see a girl in his year—he thinks she's in the neighboring class, but he's not really sure. He offers an easy-going smile. "Yes?"  
  
"Are you dating anyone?" The girl looks more curious than nervous, which strikes him as a bit odd.  
  
He almost says no out of habit before stopping himself. Right, he _is_ dating someone. That's still something he's getting used to. "I am, actually." He scratches the back of his head, a bit sheepish.  
  
The girl seems to perk up at that—again, weird. "Oh! Um, did you and Iwaizumi-san finally get together, then?"  
  
Oikawa freezes. Here it is again—people always thinking he and Iwaizumi are dating. The girl notices the change in his demeanor and goes to apologize, but he cuts her off. "No, I'm dating Honda Yuzuki. She's the captain of the softball team."  
  
Recognition glints in her eyes. "Now that you mention it, I have seen you with her..." Her voice trails off until she's barely above a whisper. "I never really got that impression, though..."  
  
Oikawa blinks. "What?"  
  
The girl jumps, seemingly just remembering he was there. "Uh, nothing! Sorry to bother you!" She bows quickly and awkwardly before running off, leaving Oikawa dumbfounded.  
  
She never got that impression?  
  
Oikawa starts walking again, mind racing as he tries to make sense of what just happened. What did she mean by that? Better yet, if she wasn't going to ask him out, why did she care?  
  
And why was she so ready to believe that he's dating Iwaizumi?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter was at least somewhat worth the wait! As always, I would love nothing more than to hear what you guys think. Thank you so much for your support so far!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This chapter is definitely the longest so far, so I hope you all like it!

Oikawa flops onto the bed with a long sigh, limbs spread as far as possible. "Ugh, finally..."  
  
Iwaizumi shoves him aside, rolling his eyes. "Move, Shittykawa, you're taking up the whole bed. It's not even yours."  
  
In typical fashion, the two had walked home together after practice, deciding to spend the evening at Iwaizumi's studying (or, that's what they tell themselves).  
  
"But I'm _exhausted_ ," Oikawa whines, stubbornly staying put. "I need the bed more than you do!"  
  
He can see the irritation on Iwaizumi's face—the bulging vein at his temple, the gritted teeth, the eyes squinted shut. "Idiot, we've both been at school and practice doing the same shit. How the hell could you be any more tired than I am?"  
  
Oikawa pouts. "Mean, Iwa-chan." He does make room, however, giving Iwaizumi the foot of the bed to lounge on with his homework. "You don't know what I've been through."  
  
Iwaizumi looks over at him in the corner of his eye. He's pretty sure Oikawa's just being melodramatic (as usual), but if he isn't... "What?"  
  
Another exaggerated sigh. "It's just been the _longest_ day." Oikawa can feel himself overemphasizing his complaints in some sort of defense against actually talking about his problems. If he's honest, it _has_ been a long day, what with Hanamaki and Matsukawa's terrorism and the inquisitive girl from before. He rolls onto his side with a groan, looking up at Iwaizumi. "Let's just watch a movie or something, I'm too tired for math."  
  
Iwaizumi resists the urge to roll his eyes again. Instead, he sets his worksheet on the desk next to him and turns to face Oikawa. "What's up with you?" He's serious, eyebrows furrowed with concern, and it catches Oikawa off-guard for a second.  
  
"I—well, nothing really." He blanches at Iwaizumi's look. "Just—Mattsun and Makki won't leave me alone about Yuzuki." It's half the truth, at least.  
  
Iwaizumi's eyebrows raise at that. "You're exhausted from talking about your girlfriend?"  
  
"When you put it like _that_..." Oikawa huffs indignantly, sitting up. He pauses for a moment, silent, staring at his hands. "Hey... Iwa-chan?" Iwaizumi makes a noise in response. Taking a deep breath, Oikawa turns to look at him. "Why did you react like that at lunch?"  
  
Iwaizumi blinks. "What?"  
  
"You know..." Oikawa looks away, sighs. "You said you didn't care."  
  
He can feel Iwaizumi tense beside him. Weird. "Why should I?"  
  
Oikawa hums, considering. "Your best friend getting a girlfriend seems pretty significant, don't you think?"  
  
"Why? You talk to girls all the time, why is this so different?" Iwaizumi looks... angry, almost. That definitely throws Oikawa for a loop.  
  
"Well..." He hesitates, unsure how to best respond. "I'm actually making a commitment to someone, you kn—"  
  
"Are you?"  
  
The question hangs heavily in the air. Oikawa stares at Iwaizumi, eyes wide. He can't read the expression on Iwaizumi's face, and coupled with what had just been asked, he's bewildered. Scared, maybe. "What do you mean?"  
  
Iwaizumi meets his eyes and freezes. "I—nothing, nevermind."  
  
"What?" Oikawa leans forward, wrinkle in his brow. Normally he'd immediately smooth it with a comment about maintaining his youthful skin, but he can't begin to think of that right now. "You can't just say something like that and not explain!"  
  
Iwaizumi won't look at him anymore. "I told you it's nothing."  
  
"Iwa-chan, come on! Why are you being so weird?"  
  
"I thought you were tired," Iwaizumi mutters. "Apparently not too tired to be annoy—"  
  
"Iwaizumi."  
  
That gets his attention. Iwaizumi looks up at Oikawa, stunned at the use of his full surname, the flat tone of his voice. He's serious, more serious than Iwaizumi's ever seen him outside of volleyball. There's not a trace of humor—or exhaustion—on his face as he stares him down, waiting. _Somehow, the roles in this conversation have switched_ , Iwaizumi notes, shrinking under Oikawa's gaze.  
  
Oikawa notices and his expression softens slightly, shifting toward concern. "Seriously, what's with you?"  
  
Iwaizumi shakes his head, turning away. "Don't worry about it." He picks up his homework, signalling the end of the conversation.  
  
There's a pause, no sound aside from the scratching of Iwaizumi's pencil. Oikawa looks down again. "Why don't you care?"  
  
The scratching stops.  
  
"I'm happy, you know. Yuzuki's amazing." Oikawa fidgets, messing with his hands. "Yeah, I'm new to the whole dating thing, but... I'm glad I decided to try it."  
  
Iwaizumi's tense again. Oikawa ignores it.  
  
"It's been nice. Actually getting to know someone, instead of just talking to random girls I don't even know the names of." He pauses, smiling. "It's really nice."  
  
Iwaizumi says nothing. His pencil doesn't move.  
  
Oikawa hums, appraising. "You know, Iwa-chan, for someone who supposedly doesn't care, you sure are reacting strangely."  
  
Something snaps.  
  
"She's not different!" Iwaizumi shoots up, fists clenched at his sides. Oikawa can only stare in shock. "Yuzuki's no different from any of the other girls you talk to. She's just someone who likes you for some goddamn reason, and you decided to go with it! What, that makes her special? You suddenly deciding after years of rejecting confessions to accept one?" Iwaizumi shakes his head. "The only difference between her and every other girl you put up your bullshit facade for is that you actually bothered to know her name." His words are searingly cold, eyes cutting Oikawa to the bone, jaw clenched and seething. Unlike every mocking insult Iwaizumi sends his way, these words are mean to hurt, to hurt deeply. Before Oikawa can respond, Iwaizumi turns away. "I'm going downstairs," he growls, slamming the door behind him.  
  
Oikawa can't stop the burning tears.

 

—

  
The next day is weird, to say the least.  
  
Iwaizumi does not wait for him. For the first time in years, Oikawa walks to school alone. It gives him plenty of time to relive the events of the night before, especially Iwaizumi's scathing words.  
  
_The only difference between her and every other girl you put up your bullshit facade for is that you actually bothered to know her name._  
  
He won't lie—it hurts. Hurts to hear those words. Hurts to be abandoned by his best friend. Hurts to think that maybe, just maybe, Iwaizumi's right.  
  
He shakes his head.  
  
Iwaizumi doesn't skip class. When Oikawa arrives, he's in his normal seat, nose buried in a workbook. Everything about his body language and presence screams to leave him alone, so he does. Honestly, Oikawa's not awake enough to deal with any of this yet anyway. It's not like he got the best night's sleep after that.  
  
Iwaizumi doesn't even look at him until lunch (at least, not that Oikawa sees). He seems surprised when Oikawa shoves his desk against his, Hanamaki and Matsukawa close behind. Oikawa tries to smile at him, make some sort of connection, but he suspects it's unconvincing as Iwaizumi just turns away, pulling out his lunch. Oikawa sighs, sitting next to him as usual. Hanamaki and Matsukawa complete the makeshift lunch table, eyeing the other two warily. If they sense that something is off, they don't mention it.  
  
Hanamaki and Matsukawa start talking about some funny story from earlier, but Oikawa can't bring himself to pay attention. The tension is too heavy for him to focus on much else. Their conversation becomes merely background noise as he pokes at his food, unable to find an appetite. He figures that the other two are probably picking up on his bad mood by now, but there's not much he can do about it.  
  
"Hey, guys!"  
  
Oikawa looks up at the familiar voice.  
  
"Yo, Honda-san!" Hanamaki greets her with a casual handshake, Matsukawa following up similarly.  
  
Yuzuki grins. "Mind if I join you guys?"  
  
"Sure," Matsukawa nods. "You can take Oikawa's place—we like you better anyway."  
  
Wounded, Oikawa places a hand to his chest. "Rude, Mattsun!" The momentary distraction already has him feeling better. As he watches his friends laugh, he can almost forget about the boy sitting next to him.  
  
Almost.  
  
"You can sit here," Iwaizumi mumbles, standing. "I have to go do something anyway." He's gone before anyone can say anything, leaving them to stare after him.  
  
Yuzuki looks to Oikawa. "Is he okay?"  
  
Oikawa frowns. "I'm not sure," he replies honestly. There's an awkward pause before he shakes his head. "Whatever, if he's gonna mope around then that's his problem!" He plasters on a grin. "How's your day been, Yuzuki-chan?"  
  
She hesitates a moment before going along with the subject change. "Good." She settles in next to Oikawa, placing her chin in her hand. "I didn't have any meetings or anything for once, so I figured I'd come hang out with you guys!"  
  
Hanamaki whistles, sympathy in his eyes. "The softball team is intense."  
  
Oikawa nods morosely. "They work her to the bone."  
  
Yuzuki rolls her eyes, laughing at them. "Come on, it's not a big deal. Half the time there's free food anyway, so who's complaining? Not me!"  
  
Their laughter fades into the background as Oikawa zones out. He can't help but think of Iwaizumi and how weird he's been. Yeah, they got into a legitimate fight which is weird enough, but even today something's off. If anything, Oikawa is the one who should be angry, so he's really not sure what Iwaizumi's problem is.  
  
"Tooru?" Oikawa blinks to see Yuzuki looking at him, concerned. "You okay?"  
  
He nods, forcing another smile. "Just distracted," he waves her off.  
  
Something flashes in her eyes, but she nods, letting it go. Oikawa sighs.  
  
Clearly he's not okay.

 

—

  
By the end of the day, Oikawa's mood is marginally better. Iwaizumi seemed to get it together enough to be civil at practice, making it go much smoother than expected. He'd already made plans to go out with Yuzuki after school, preventing any awkwardness surrounding he and Iwaizumi's typical hangouts. Really, he was just happy the day was over.  
  
He's never been so relieved to be sitting in a cafe.  
  
Yuzuki notices the look on his face and chuckles. "What're you so happy about?"  
  
Oikawa sighs, smiling. "Just happy to be here." He half-expects Yuzuki to blush at that, but nothing. Huh. Maybe he's out of practice.  
  
They talk idly for a while. Yuzuki gushes about an underclassman she's been teaching to throw curveballs, and how she made a strike successfully for the first time. Oikawa listens, watches her animated gestures and expressions. There really is a unique energy about her. She has the ability to make even the most mundane of things sound exciting. When Yuzuki talks about something she's passionate about, she absolutely _sparkles_.  
  
It's fascinating to watch.  
  
She finishes her story and they sit in brief, comfortable silence.  
  
"Tooru?"  
  
He looks up from his coffee.  
  
"What's going on with you and Iwaizumi-san?"  
  
It's not a surprising question, really. Yuzuki isn't blind; of course she's noticed the way they've been acting. Somehow, Oikawa still isn't prepared for it. "We... got into a bit of a fight yesterday." He thinks that fight might not be the right word, since it was mostly one-sided, but that's semantics.  
  
"Really?" She looks surprised. "That seems unusual."  
  
"It is." Oikawa sighs. "I don't think either of us know how to deal with it.  
  
Yuzuki hums in understanding. "You probably just need to give it time before you try to talk again. Give each other space. Otherwise you'll just end up blowing up at each other again." Oikawa nods. "So, what was the fight about?"  
  
"Uh..." Oikawa racks his brain, trying to figure out how he can possibly put this without saying that Iwaizumi thinks their relationship is doomed. "Things just got a little heated and we said things we shouldn't have. Nothing specific."  
  
Yuzuki doesn't really look like she believes that, but she lets it go.  
  
Conversation continues. Yuzuki seems... distant, somehow. Maybe she's worried about him and Iwaizumi. Oikawa wishes he could do something to help, but he's really not sure how.  
  
Maybe he isn't cut out for this relationship thing after all.  
  
The walk home from the cafe isn't uncomfortable. It's not exactly comfortable either, but Oikawa doesn't know what to make of that so he ignores it. It's mostly silent, save for the occasional comment about a weird cloud or a dog in the distance.  
  
Oikawa's about to say something, attempt to make more consistent conversation, when Yuzuki stops. He takes a few steps before noticing, turning around to face her. "Yuzuki-chan?"  
  
She's not looking at him. "Can we... talk, for a minute? Find a bench or something?"  
  
Oikawa stares for a moment, caught off-guard, before nodding. "Yeah, sure. There's one across the street."  
  
It's uncomfortably silent now, sitting on a too-low bench under a mostly burnt-out streetlight. He can feel his chest tightening with anxiety.  
  
"Tooru..."  
  
He's never heard Yuzuki sound nervous before. Even when she confessed, she was all confidence and boldness. It's disconcerting to hear the wobble in her voice.  
  
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, steadying herself.  
  
"I think we should break up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up way angstier than I intended, so... sorry?
> 
> On the bright side, Iwaizumi was in this chapter a lot more!
> 
> <3


	6. Chapter 6

_I think we should break up._   
  
"What?" Oikawa's voice sounds distant to his own ears. He's having trouble processing the words.   
  
Yuzuki looks more pained than ever, eyes still not meeting his. "This... It's not..." She sighs, shaking her head. Finally looking up, she starts again. "I've had a lot of fun hanging out with you, Tooru. I really have, but..."   
  
"But?" Oikawa looks so vulnerable in that moment that Yuzuki's heart nearly shatters. She steels her resolve, however, because this needs to be said.   
  
"That's all it's been, isn't it? We haven't been dating."   
  
Oikawa blinks, uncomprehending.   
  
Yuzuki tries again. "Sure, we've _called_ it dating, but we haven't done anything remotely romantic. Shit, Tooru, we haven't even held hands!"   
  
She's right. "We—we can hold hands!" Oikawa blurts, trying to do something, anything to fix the situation, to get Yuzuki to stop confirming his worst fears.   
  
Yuzuki smiles, shaking her head again. "It's okay, Tooru. I know you—if you'd wanted to, you would have done it by now. It's okay, though. I realize now I don't want to either."  She looks away, a bit awkward. "I... I thought I had feelings for you, I really did, but... it turns out that I misinterpreted admiration for a crush."   
  
Oikawa doesn't know what to say to that.   
  
"You're incredible, Tooru. As a fellow athlete and captain, I was—and still am—amazed by everything you do on the court. As much shit as your teammates give you, it's clear they respect you." Yuzuki smiles again, fondly. "You're a good guy. Honestly, I admire you more than ever now that I actually know you, but... I don't like you. Not like that, at least. And you don't like me, either." Oikawa opens his mouth to protest, but what's he going to do? Lie? He knows she's right. "So, I think we should stop pretending and call this what it actually is—friendship."   
  
It's weird. He's upset, but not because of Yuzuki. "Okay." Oikawa hopes he doesn't sound as rough as he feels, but judging by the look on her face that's not the case.   
  
"...Are you?"   
  
There's the concern that felt so nice before. Now, Oikawa just wants her to stop looking at him. "Yeah. I mean... no," he admits, "but it's not because of you. You're right." He manages a smile. "We shouldn't pretend."   
  
Yuzuki's still staring. "Do you want to talk about it?" The worry won't leave her brow.   
  
Oikawa stands. "No. I'm going to head home, actually." He starts walking before she can protest. Just before he's out of earshot, he turns with a weak wave. "I'll see you tomorrow, Yuzuki-chan."   
  
Yuzuki stays on the bench for a while, mixed feelings swirling in her chest. 

 

—

  
Oikawa doesn't sleep any better that night.   
  
He barely pays attention in his morning classes, eyes glazed over and fighting to droop closed. He doesn't notice the concerned looks Iwaizumi sends his way.   
  
When lunchtime arrives, Oikawa moves to prepare the usual desk arrangement, but he's stopped by a hand on his shoulder.   
  
"We need to talk."   
  
They're the first words Iwaizumi's said to him outside of the bare minimum at practice. Unfortunately, Oikawa is far too tired for any kind of important conversation. "Can't this wait?"   
  
Iwaizumi forcibly turns him so they're face to face. He leans forward, searching. "You look like you haven't slept in days." Oikawa almost wants to laugh at his disapproving frown—it's so thoroughly Iwaizumi.   
  
"I haven't." He shrugs Iwaizumi off his shoulder. "I was hoping to have a restful lunch, if you don't mind."   
  
"Oikawa." His tone is firm, serious, leaving no room for argument.   
  
Oikawa sighs. "Fine."

They head to the roof. It's really the only place in the school where you can find actual privacy.

As soon as Iwaizumi shuts the door behind them, he turns to face Oikawa. “Talk.”

Oikawa does laugh at that, bitterly. “Wow, Iwa-chan. You insult me, avoid me, drag me up here, and you have the nerve to tell me to talk?” Guilt flashes in Iwaizumi's eyes. “At least let me sit first.” They do, and there's an awkward silence, both of them staring straight ahead.

“I didn't know what to say.”

“How about sorry?” Iwaizumi looks over, but Oikawa's face is unreadable. “But I guess you don't need to, since you were right anyway.”

That's not what he expected. “What? No, no I wasn't. Even when I said it I knew it wasn't true. It… it was cruel. I shouldn't have said it. I was just—” Iwaizumi blanches, stopping himself before he can finish that thought.

Oikawa notices, though. “Just?” The edge in his voice is gone, problems briefly forgotten.

“Uh…” Iwaizumi looks away, scratching at his neck awkwardly. “I guess I had a problem with the idea of you having someone important to you.” _Someone more important than me_ goes unsaid.

“So, you were jealous?”

Iwaizumi chokes. “No! Like I'd be jealous about you, Shittykawa!” He’s spluttering, clearly caught off guard.

Oikawa smiles, but it quickly turns bitter. “Well, you won't have to worry about it anymore.”

Iwaizumi turns, embarrassment forgotten. “Huh?”

Oikawa won't meet his eyes. “Yuzuki-chan broke up with me.”

For what seems like the billionth time, Iwaizumi doesn't know what to say.

“She said it was because we weren't dating.” Oikawa shakes his head. “Kissing her never crossed my mind. We never even held hands. Guess everyone was right—I really do make a shitty boyfriend.”

“Oikawa…” Iwaizumi's mind flashes to every time he and his teammates have made stupid jokes about Oikawa's love life. Suddenly he regrets all of them. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never should have said any of that, you didn't deserve it.” He turns to Oikawa. When he doesn't look at him, Iwaizumi grabs his shoulders. “No matter how much bullshit we say, you're not a bad person. You know that, right?”

Oikawa doesn't look like he believes him. He just looks… tired. “She said she realized she didn't actually like me. Figures, huh? The one girl who actually gets to know me stops having feelings for me.” He laughs, and it's a horrible sound. “Must be a coincidence.” He knows what he's saying isn't fair, but it's too easy.

“Do you like her?” Oikawa shakes his head. “Then why are you upset? Neither of you lost anything; you're friends now, which is what you were before.”

The tears hit Oikawa all at once, and he hates it. “I feel like a failure,” he chokes out, rubbing at his eyes in a futile attempt to hide his crying.

Iwaizumi pulls him into a hug without a second thought. There's no time to be embarrassed or shy; Oikawa is breaking.

“No you're not,” he murmurs, trying to comfort his sobbing best friend. “One relationship doesn't define you.”

“But what if I can't do it?” Oikawa buries his face in Iwaizumi’s shoulder, staining his shirt with his tears. Iwaizumi feels his heart clench. “What if I can't ever make it work with anyone?”

Iwaizumi squeezes him tighter. “You will. Honda-san clearly cares about you; you're just not meant to be together that way. The whole team cares about you, Oikawa.” He clears his throat. “...I care about you.”

Oikawa knows that, of course, but Iwaizumi’s not one to say it. Hearing those words out loud… It's different. He sniffles, his tears drying. “Thank you, Iwa-chan.”

“‘Course, Shittykawa.”

A pause. “I missed you.” Oikawa doesn't let go.

He can feel Iwaizumi's smile against his hair. “I missed you too, idiot.”

Iwaizumi doesn't let go, either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked this chapter!! It's a bit shorter, but things are less awful now so that's good right? You'll just have to see what happens next :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took forever! Responsibilities and writer's block aren't a good combination. Anyway, I hope you guys like it!

 

“Honda-san.”

Yuzuki looks up from her locker, closing the door. “Iwaizumi-san?” She definitely didn't expect to see him. 

Iwaizumi turns away, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. “Uh… I heard about you and Oikawa.”

“Oh.” She doesn't really know what to say to that. Of course he knows, he's Oikawa's best friend after a— “Wait, are you guys talking again?”

Iwaizumi looks up, a bit surprised. “Yeah, he… He's upset, so that kind of, uh...” he trails off.

Yuzuki's eyes widen. “Shit, is he okay?" 

Iwaizumi smiles despite himself—she really is a wonderful person. “I think so. But you should talk to him.”

The hesitation is clear on Yuzuki's face. “I didn't know if he would want to see me. At least, not yet.”

“I think he needs to. He needs that normalcy. You want to see him, right?" Yuzuki nods. "Good."

He turns to go, but stops.

"Be his friend."

 

—

 

“Hey.”

Oikawa freezes. Yuzuki’s voice is soft. She’s standing by the door to his classroom, clearly waiting for him to leave for the day. He has a weird flashback to when she’d first confessed to him; she’d looked much less nervous then. “Yuzuki-chan.”

She tilts her head, a worried smile on her face. “Are you okay?”

He opens his mouth to answer, closes it. “You know what?” Oikawa turns to face her. “I am. It…” He falters. “Like I said, it wasn’t really… about you.” He looks down. “That’s… kind of horrible, but I think we both know it’s true. I just… Part of me has always kind of doubted that I’d be able to handle an actual relationship, so as positive of a breakup as it was, it still felt like a confirming blow.” He can’t bring himself to look at Yuzuki’s concerned expression. “But… Iwa-chan and I talked earlier.” Thinking back, he leans against the wall of the hallway, gazing up at the ceiling. The hallway is mostly empty now; they probably should get going, but that’s the last thing on either of their minds. “He brought me to my senses, I guess. Typical Iwa-chan,” a warm smile grows, “always the responsible one. Always taking care of me.” He chuckles. “Kind of annoying, really.” There’s no malice in his words.

Yuzuki’s smile is genuine now. “I’m glad you two are okay. You really weren’t yourself without him. Neither of you were.” Oikawa can’t quite pin down the way his chest tightens—anger? Frustration? Happiness? 

Something else?

Choosing to ignore that train of thought, Oikawa hums, considering. “Naturally. We’ve spent so much time together over the years. Iwa-chan just can’t seem to get enough of me, but who could blame him?” He runs a hand through his hair, grinning. 

Yuzuki snorts at that, rolling her eyes. “You make it sound so one-sided.” When Oikawa doesn’t respond, she stretches before glancing at her watch. “Oh, shit, practice starts in five.” She turns to run, calling out over her shoulder: “Sorry, Tooru! I’m glad you’re okay!” 

He watches her round the corner, a fond smile settling in for a multitude of reasons.

 

—

 

Oikawa’s okay.

He really is—he wasn’t lying when Yuzuki asked him. He knows that it’s not fair to judge his romantic abilities entirely off of his and Yuzuki’s relationship. He’s not upset about that anymore.

But somehow… something’s off.

The next day is mostly uneventful. Things have essentially returned to normal: he and Iwaizumi are on speaking terms again, he’s getting arguably enough sleep, and Yuzuki’s his friend. Oikawa’s maybe zoning out a bit more than usual, but it’s not too weird. A lot has happened lately.

He’s not paying much attention when he walks out of his last class, and he narrowly avoids a collision with someone waiting outside. 

“Sorry! Wasn’t looking where I was going.” He smiles sheepishly, getting a better look at the who he almost ran into. 

“Oh—no, it’s fine! I, um, I wanted to apologize!” The girl bows, catching Oikawa off guard. It’s the same girl from before—the one who didn’t think he was dating Yuzuki. Huh, maybe she was onto something.

Now, though, she’s still bowing. “What? What for?” Oikawa’s genuinely perplexed.

The girl looks up hesitantly, straightening. “Well… I questioned your relationship, and said all of those things, and it was really none my business, and then you broke up, and… I don’t know, I felt somehow responsible.” She looks off to the side, cheeks flushing. “That sounds self-centered now that I’m saying it out loud, but… Anyway! I’m sorry!” She bows again. 

Now Oikawa’s flustered. “No, it’s okay! You don’t have to—you can stand!” She does. The awkwardness of the situation hangs heavily on them. “Uh… Honestly, I was surprised when you said it didn’t seem like me and Yuzuki were dating, but it turns out you weren’t the only one who thought that.” He offers another smile. “It’s okay, really. Yuzuki’s a great friend; we just aren’t meant to be together that way. It’s not your fault at all. You don’t have to bow,” he laughs lightly. 

The girl stares with appreciation in her eyes. “Oh. I… thank you.” She hesitates. “Um… if you don’t mind me asking, what happened with you two?” The silence stretches for a second too long and she flounders to cover. “Sorry, that’s none of my business, I shouldn’t have asked—”

“No, it’s fine.” He takes a moment to think of what to say. “We weren’t really dating, if that makes sense. Well, I thought we were, but I didn’t know what I was doing.” He chuckles. “It’s amazing; as much as I’ve talked to girls, I had no idea what to do in an actual relationship. I was always worried that I wouldn’t be a good boyfriend.” He hums, contemplating… vulnerable. “I guess I’ve learned from it though. Step one: act like you’re dating.” Oikawa snickers again. He looks up, realizing who he’s talking to. “Oh, uh, I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.”

She shakes her head. “No, it’s okay, I asked.” Much calmer now, she pauses, considering. “You know, I never really got the hype about you. I always thought you were overrated, but… I see it now.” She must see the surprise on Oikawa’s face and realize what she said. “Wait, I—oh my god, I’m so sorry.” Her eyes are wide.

Recovering from his initial shock, Oikawa laughs. “No worries. It’s kind of refreshing, actually. I normally only hear that sort of stuff from Iwa-chan.” His smile is genuine, almost blinding; she has to look away. “Well, I have to get to practice—the team is hopeless without me!” It shifts into a grin, the softness gone. “It was nice talking to you, uh—sorry, what’s your name?”

She blinks. “Ayuzawa. Ayuzawa Sakura.”

Oikawa nods. “Right.” He goes to leave, calling out over his shoulder with a wave. “See you around, Sakura-chan!”

He doesn’t see her sink to the ground, face burning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! <3
> 
> Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long as this one did... I'll do my best!


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